Regulation Simplifies Workers Compensation Law

Under NSW regulation, only a single claim can be made for a lump sum amout under workers compensation law. Nevertheless, a current statement by the NSW government has made an exception to this section, in light of the main changes made in 2012 to the compensation injured workers received.

As such, so many of workers may be permitted to additional payment for their injuries.

Changes to workers compensation law

The NSW government has announced recent changes to workers compensation law for claims made before June 19 2012, when material changes to lump sum compensation came into effect.

Outlined by the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, the new regulation allows certain injured workers to make a second claim if their condition worsens. The changes in the regulation is in response to a recent NSW Supreme Court case, Cram Fluid Power v Green.

Back injuries can persist, minimising your ability to work.

Cram Fluid Power v Green

"The Government has acted to clarify the law, providing certainty for injured workers."

The appellant, Mr Green, received lump sum compensation on 14 December 2010 under section 66 of the 1987 Workers Compensation Act. However, his condition deteriorated resulting in spinal surgery.

As such, he requested further compensation. However, the Judges cited a clause in section 66 where the legislation states that the Act can only be used for a single claim when pursuing permanent impairment compensation for a work-related injury.

Between Mr Green's initial claim in 2010 and his second claim in 2013, key changes were made to injuries compensation law under the 2012 Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Act.

Despite the substantial changes, Mr Green was only able to make one claim for his injuries. In order to address the issues that arose from this case, the NSW government has released a statement detailing the modifications.

"The Government has acted to clarify the law, providing certainty for injured workers whose claims are affected by the Cram Fluid decision," says Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Victor Dominello.

"Injured workers within this cohort will be able to make one further claim. There is no time limitation for making the claim or restriction on minimum increase in a claimant's level of permanent impairment."

Who will this impact?

The Department of Finance, Services and Innovation estimate there are 6,000 individuals who made claims before June 19 2012 who may be due further injury compensation under the new regulation.  Most compensation claim lawyers operate on a no win, no fee policy, where we will absorb the upfront costs and subtract them from the final settlement if your claim is successful. If your claim is rejected, you will incur no costs from the proceedings

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That is why safety work wear is compulsory for workers

Safety work wear has become an inescapable part of life for numerous unsafe occupations, mostly in light of progressively strict health and safety at work laws. Wherever you turn there is a tradesman in a high visibility jacket, or a construction worker with safety boots and thick leather gloves. This has also given rise to a massive market for commercially positioned safety work wear thrives on the necessities of these businesses.

Safety work wear has grown in popularity over the last several decades as trade and employment become more and more government regulated. With a shift towards safety and caring for employees rather than maximizing profits, a huge demand has been created for protective clothing and garments in the work environment.

Safety wear has become an increasingly popular choice for many, and a necessity for employers working above the law in recent years. But it's not just a necessity in legal terms. It is also essential for the protection and prevention of injury to employees, and practically speaking, for the avoidance of legal action.

Personalized or branded staff work wear is becoming more common in the UK, and has benefits for both staff and the company. It's one of those very rare situations in life and especially business: a win-win situation.

WORKERS ARE FEELING SAFETY NOW:

Taking care of employees is a fundamental part of the responsibility of any company, not just from a moral and personal point of view but because it also makes good business sense too. A happy and safe employee is a good employee. By personalizing the work wear, staff are getting the protection they need and there are also some handy branding and marketing benefits for the company too.                                                                                   The work wear you provide staff needs to be tailored and chosen according to the safety needs of your business. This can be established by carrying out risk assessments and by talking to the staff on the front line. Depending on the needs of the staff, the work wear you choose can either be general or task specific.

EXAMINE:

Work wear also has the benefit of increasing visibility for both other staff and for members of the public and clients. A branded work wear vest or tunic will identify workers in key areas. The presence of a logo or branding can also help people to identify staff. This is very important for customers who may have queries and for anyone working in environments where heavy loads are moved around.

A uniformed work wear also increase the sense of rapport and team spirit amongst employees. There's a reason teams at the World Cup all wear the same kits, after all. Having the logo on the appropriate work wear also engenders a sense of pride and belonging amongst individual employees. Knowing that you are representing the company and that you have been valued as a member of staff is great for employee efficiency and morale.

There are, of course, obvious advantages for brand awareness, promotion and marketing by using work wear too. By having your logo or contact details on all work wear, you are more visible to the public, especially if employees are in the public domain during and after the work day.

CONCLUSION

So, as you can see, along with the obvious (and sometimes legally required) benefits of providing staff with work wear, there are a number of associated benefits for all parties. For a small investment in equipment, you can ensure your staff are treated well, you have complied with legislation and have the added benefit of some low cost marketing opportunities. There aren't many times in business when decisions seem to make themselves but this would appear to be one of them.

SAFETY HELMETS

Hard Hats and Safety Helmets Are Essential Protection

Literally no one is willing to argue against wearing hard hats and safety helmets in construction areas nowadays. It has become so engrained in us now that seeing someone walking around a construction site without the protective head gear on would create quite an outrage.

In this installment on safety helmets, we want to not necessarily rate the helmet itself, but rather this particular vendor who seems to carry just about any and every kind of protective head gear on the planet. In fact, and this is what caught our attention, they even go so far as to customize the gear to reflect your "true" personality!

For example, if you want a helmet with flames, to reflect your ‘hot' nature, they have it. Or, if your company wants a customized and prominent large company logo placed on the front or side they can do that as well.

HELMET RULE IN INDIA

Observing that it was disheartening to note that a number of precious lives are lost due to non-wearing of protective headgear, the Madras High Court today made it clear that wearing of helmets by two-wheeler riders is a must and documents including driving license must be impounded in case of failure to do so.

The judge said impounded documents would be released on showing the receipt of purchase of a helmet with ISI certificate.

    

The court directed the central government to go into the details of the design of the helmets to provide clear visibility for the wearer of helmet

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Techniques to Manage Pre-Existing Circumstances of Workers Compensation Claims

In workers compensation claims, a pre-existing circumstance refers to a medicinal condition the worker had prior to the occurrence of the work comp injury. The pre-existing circumstance can be injury related, for example, a prior spinal injury, or the pre-existing condition can be non-work related, for example, deteriorating disc disease.

The workers compensation laws of each state differ ominously in how each handles the augmentation of a pre-existing circumstance. The majority of states ruminate the augmentation of a pre-existing condition to be a part of the new work comp injury. Some states will accept the aggravation of a pre-existing condition that resulted from a prior injury but will not accept the aggravation of a pre-existing non-work related condition as a part of the work comp claim.

Aggravation of a pre-existing condition can be either a temporary condition or a permanent aggravation. It is important to the work comp adjuster to distinguish the difference, as the distinction can be critical to the outcome of the claim. The adjuster normally will allow for disability benefits for the period of time the employee is unable to work due to the aggravation of the pre-existing condition. The employee should not be compensated for the disability caused solely by the underlying condition.

A typical pre-existing condition claim is the aggravation of the lower back. The employee reports s/he injured his/her back. The medical provider determines the employee has strained back muscles and has degenerative disc disease. The employee is taken off work while the back strain resolves. The employee continues to complain about the injury beyond the time it should take to heal. The medical provider realizing the muscle strain should be resolved returns the employee to work with a 20 pound lifting restriction. The lifting restriction is to protect the employee from aggravating his/her degenerative disc disease, not to protect the employee from straining the back muscles again. As the restrictions arise out of the employee's pre-existing condition, they can be disputed.

However, the employee with the pre-existing condition is a greater risk for another injury. Requiring the employee to return to the same work as before without protecting the employee from his/her own pre-existing condition will often result in another aggravation of the pre-existing condition. Therefore, it is often better for the employer to honor the restrictions, even though the restrictions arise from the pre-existing condition, and not the work comp injury. If possible, you should consider re-assigning the employee to a different position where the potential for aggravation of the pre-existing condition is not as great.

Work comp claims involving the aggravation of a pre-existing condition need to be handled by experienced work comp adjusters who have in-depth knowledge of how these types of claims are handled within their state. The work comp adjuster should try some of these approaches to handling the claim involving the aggravation of the pre-existing condition:

1.     The adjuster and the employer should work together to arrange for a light duty return to work for the employee. Returning the employee to work on modified duty is always a good idea, but it becomes especially important in the claims involving the aggravation of a pre-existing condition. By returning the employee to light duty work, the employer reduces the likelihood of the medical provider placing the employee on permanent restrictions.

2.     The adjuster should investigate the claim thoroughly including interviewing the employee's supervisor and coworkers to ascertain if the employee was having problems with the pre-existing condition prior the on the job injury. This is especially true with the un-witnessed "accident." There may be information available to document that the work comp accident is not the cause of the employee's medical problems but the pre-existing condition is the cause of the medical problems.

3.     The adjuster should not hesitate to question the medical provider about to the pre-existing condition. If the adjuster ask the medical provider "what caused the degenerative disc disease?" the medical provider can only indicate it is a condition of aging, and was not caused by the on the job injury.

4.     The work comp adjuster should reject work restrictions on the employee based upon the employee's fear, or the medical provider's fear, that a new injury could occur. The adjuster should work with the employer on arranging for a job revision that will reduce the employee's chances of re-aggravation of the pre-existing condition.

5.     The adjuster should make sure the medical provider has a complete job description of the employee's position. (It will be much more accurate than the job description most employees will provide to the physician). The job description should include the employee's duties and the duration of each activity during a day. By providing the medical provider with this information, the physician can make a more accurate assessment of the employee's abilities to return to his former job, which will limit the extent of the job restrictions placed on the employee and his pre-existing condition.

As an employer, you need to protect your company from higher than normal workers' compensation cost brought on by the aggravation of pre-existing conditions. Pre-employment screening of job applicants is the most effective way of preventing work comp claims that arise out of the aggravation of a pre-existing condition. By not hiring people who will be more susceptible to injury, you can significantly reduce your exposure to injury claim involving the aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

However, employers must follow all EEOC/ADA guidelines to avoid discrimination charges.

The cost of background checks and physicals is minor compared to what a new employee with the pre-existing condition can do to your Experience Modification Factor.

As an employer you will never totally eliminate the injury claims involving the aggravation of a pre-existing condition. You can significantly reduce the number of injury claims involving pre-existing conditions by carefully screening the employees you do hire. Once the work comp claim occurs, you should work closely with your adjuster to minimize the impact of the pre-existing condition on the injury claim.

Learn more about workers comp cost containment at Manage your Workers Compensation Program Reduce your Workers Compensation Costs 20-50%. Sign up for LowerWC.com Workers Comp Newsletter.

Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues

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Matchless Gifts for Office Workers

With Christmas just round the corner, everybody is shopping online for gifts. If you're in an office, you identify that many people purchase gifts for coworkers. If you're the chief, you might feel obligated to purchase a gift for your office workers.

This is particularly true in small offices with 20 or less workers. Gifts are not obligatory, but a small gift can be just what that worker needs to feel respected and stop the job search.

There are many different kinds of gifts for office workers. If you're considering for a even gift that is impersonal, you can give someone a candy and chocolate basket or a gift certificate.

If you're looking for something more personal you could get one of your office workers a coffee cup that means something to them. Another more personal gift is anything that you could engrave. Engraved items are one of the most personal things you can give someone. Another great item for the personal touch is something that only the two of you have in common or an inside joke.

If you're office is the kind of place where people have fun and like to have fun, there are many different lists that have crazy gifts for office workers. To find these lists, try typing "crazy gifts for office workers" into Google and see what you find.

These crazy gifts for office workers include some flying planes and helicopters that you can fly over the cubicle walls. Also available are lightweight foam planes that have rechargeable batteries and can fly around the office.

Similar to the planes and helicopter gifts are the USB powered cars that drive around your desk and the USB powered mini lava lamp.

Need to file your business cards? How about a business card holder shaped like a filing cabinet with real opening doors and locks.

Want to know if someone is spying on you? How about a frequency detector that will light up LED lights if it detects a frequency nearby

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Public Service Worker Program, Community services worker, Community worker

Do you need to make a change in the society? Do you dare to think and act in a manner that is out of the box? If yes, go for Community Service Worker Program. The program authorizes a person to empower those in need and act as a channel between them and those by whom they are affected. A Community Service Worker Program and a Community Services Worker and a Community Worker can prove to be beneficial in many ways to the community nowadays particularly in the wake of increasing incidence of violence, human rights violations and prejudice. 

In fact they are now an essential part of every aspect of the human services field, which covers fields as mental and physical health, psychology, society and human rights and a plethora of related fields. As a Community Service Worker Program one could get involved in rehabilitating the drug addicts, child care counseling, and medical field, besides a host of other areas that deal with public welfare. He or she has to help the public identify the right social services agencies that can cater to their requirements.

A Social Services Worker helps in laying the foundations of a healthy society. Social Services Workers are gaining more prominence in the society nowadays as people are now realizing the positive role that they play in authorizing a society to exist harmoniously and grow jointly. A Social Worker has to be devoted to his area of work. He or she should be swift in action and brave, smart, dependable and accountable in all his public dealings. He or she should be easily accessible to the public and must not shirk from fighting for its cause at any point of time. On top of it, he or she must be reliable in his or her struggles to get justice for the public.

However, some may wonder if there is a need to go for a professional training to pursue this field. Of course yes. Working as a Community Service Worker Program, a Social Services Worker and a Social Worker is certainly no child's play. These fields call for tackling challenging issues some of which could even threaten the existence of the society if not handled properly. Professional training in these areas allows a prospective a Community Services Worker, a Social Services Worker or a Social Worker to have a clear overview of where his or her services are actually required, what are the challenges of that particular field and how those challenges can be met.

The challenges of a Community Service Worker Program employed in the area of mental health could differ from those of his counterparts involved in welfare services and counseling on child care. And then one has to be well-acquainted with the laws and ethics governing each field. Hence, thorough training is required to equip a prospective candidate to deal with these challenges. He or she may work independently or as a part of a team. In any case, a Community Service Worker Program is the right way to launch oneself in the field

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As A Construction Worker - The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible

I was a construction worker in the southern California area for nearly 20 years. Throughout that time, I worked as a fire sprinkler fitter through a local union based out of Whittier. I intended, installed, and mended automatic fire sprinkler systems in homes, restaurants, high-rises, and warehouses all over the Los Angeles area.

At the time, the money was fantastic. But the money came with its own price, and I soon realized there were both positive and negative aspects of working as a construction worker. If you or someone you know is considering a career in the construction industry, be sure you know what you're getting into!

The Good: As a construction worker, you are going to get paid tremendously well. This is especially true if you join a local union and move up from their apprenticeship program. Union workers are continuously the top salaried construction workers when straight compared with their non-union complements.

Another perq is your are going to get off work relatively early compared to traditional office-based careers. You can expect to be on the freeway heading home anywhere from 1 pm to 2:30 pm every day. For Los Angeles residents, this is perfect because you can avoid the evening traffic and you can get home relatively quickly no matter where you live in southern California.

Another benefit (and this depends on your personal style) is you don't have to wear a suit and tie to work. You are going to get dirty every day, so you will need to wear rugged clothing and construction boots, and there's no need for gel and stylish hairdos; a Dodgers ball cap is completely acceptable every day of the week!

The Bad: It's true, you do leave work exceptionally early every day as a construction worker. On the flip side, it means you are getting up extra early every day, anywhere between 3:30 am and 5:30am.

After the Northridge earthquake destroyed most of the Northridge Mall in 1994, I was assigned the position of superintendent for the fire protection installation. My day would begin at 3:15am and I would get home around 7:00pm each day. I followed that schedule for nine months straight until the mall was finally reopened to the public.

The Ugly: Construction sites are dangerous. I've personally witnessed men stepping through an unseen hole on a roof and falling twenty feet to a concrete slab below. I've watched men get their fingers caught in machinery and almost ripped off. I've sliced open my own skin dozens of times. I've had to drive myself to an emergency room twice.

My worst accident was a torn shoulder that landed me in a hospital room and eventually the surgery room. Blood is common on a construction site, especially the big ones when there are several hundred men working. After my shoulder surgery, I knew I didn't want to work in the construction industry. I figured if I worked in the industry for 30 or 40 years, I might retire with a great pension but I would probably need a wheel chair to get around, and that wasn't for me.

The Great: There are some aspects of construction that are absolutely fantastic. What I enjoyed most was seeing new buildings and meeting new people every day of week.

I've worked in all of the major film studios, and been able to work on some great film sets, such as Dracula and Hook. I've also got to shake hands with some of Hollywood's most notable celebrities: Daryl Hannah, Billy Crystal, Keanu Reeves, and even Tom Cruise. I've brushed shoulders with countless others.

I've also worked extensively in all the major theme parks around Los Angeles: Six Flags, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Universal Studios. It's definitely fun seeing the working side of the entertainment industry!

As you can see, there are a lot of benefits to being a construction worker, and just as many negative aspects. For me, the bad didn't out-weigh the good, and I quit the industry after almost 20 years of dedicated work. It wasn't all bad though; I certainly acquired a lot of great memories!

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Demolition worker job description and profession profiles

A competent and trained demolition worker is much in demand these days, particularly in the construction industries. Numerous features of demolition works are there and the demolition worker takes care of demolition of buildings or does the related works. In most times they will be required to operate huge machines those are known as plants so that the building or structures are taken down piece by piece professionally and precision.

Demolition Worker Job Description

Typical job of demolition worker are as follows –Daily work of demolition worker will start with the instructions and briefing from the site supervisor or manager who will entrust the jobs to be performed by the worker.Tasks will be carried out as described by the supervisor or manager. Most of the times the operating plant will have an excavator and telescopic handler. Demolition work is always done according to specific alignment and industry guidelines in this respect.

Element of Danger

Like most of the hazardous jobs, the demolition worker's job contains an element of danger. It is also necessary that the demolition worker follows exactly the health and safety rules put in place by the federal or state governments from time to time. In addition; the workers are also required to conform to the expert advises given on the worksite. Another important aspect of the career is that the working environment will vary with each job as the worker would be moving from site to site. However, majority of the time of the worker will be performed in outdoor locations and they should get mentally ready to work in all weather conditions.

Skill Requirements

There are no specific requirements of academic studies but some training and technical knowledge would be necessary. Apart from basic knowledge of machine handling and maintenance works, it would be good for the worker to have some technical training. In addition; the worker must be reliable, adaptable, and conscientious. He should have good interaction with the colleagues and everyone who is present on the site. Following trainings could help –Construction Industry Training Board Apprenticeship;Construction Plant Competence Scheme Card or CPCS card; Getting the title of Demolition Apprenticeship.

Usually a demolition worker can earn around $25,000-$30,000 per annum

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Being an Hourly Worker: The Advantages and Disadvantages

Maximum paid workers will say that they more-or-less prefer their present salary system for the reason that of the fixed paychecks they obtain. But what if you don't receive wages but get paid by the hour? What are the pros and cons?

Benefits:

• Overtime Pay. You can get paid up to twice your rate for the extra hours you spend at work. This is something most of those who receive salaries don't experience.

• No Expectations to Do Overtime. Though working extra hours than what you're scheduled for pays off, it is not expected. Your manager may be grateful if you do choose to stay a while longer, but they can't force you if you refuse.

• Work-Life Balance. It's easier to separate work from personal life, because when you clock out, your job is done. There's need to bring work home.

• Flexible Schedules. If you're a full-time hourly employee, you have the benefit of choosing the schedule that works best for you.

Drawbacks:

• Unpredictable Schedules. If you're a part-time hourly staff, you have to face unexpected and erratic scheduling, making it harder for you to adjust your daily agenda.

• Inconsistent Paychecks. If you have the kind of hourly job that offers inconsistent scheduling, it will be hard for you to set a budget as your income may change from time-to-time.

• Lacking Benefits. Unfortunately, there are companies who don't offer hourly workers the same benefits they do salaried staff.

• No Job Security. When a company goes through "a phase", you are usually the first ones to go. This is because your services depend on an establishment's need for manpower.

Fortunately, there are employers who treat their hourly employees exceptionally well. According to a survey conducted by CareerBliss, here are the 3 that tops the list:

#3 Capital One Financial

This company gives staff the ability to change their work hours, share jobs, and work from home. Capital One also offers nearly 5,000 training courses to help employees advance in their careers.

#2 Bon Secours Health System

The biggest perk of being a Bon Secours hourly staff is receiving tuition assistance from the company. This help further employees' education and work experience.

#1 Best Buy

With 94% of its staff paid by the hour, Best Buy is named number one for their employee and leadership development projects. Their "Gift of Time" program also serves as great help to employees suffering from awful health issues or traumatic events.

Before jumping in a situation, it's important to look at the bigger picture; know where you are financially and understand what you want for your future. But remember that no matter what kind of worker you choose to be, if you want the best chances of landing a job, it's important that you hire the best professional resume writers

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